4 Easy Ways to Tackle Home Overwhelm and Get Your Home in Order

I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to keep our homes in order.

Toys scattered on the living room floor, dishes piled up in the sink, and the never-ending cycle of laundry can leave us feeling like we’re drowning in chaos.

Our homes, the places where we find refuge and build memories with our families, can quickly become chaotic and overwhelming. 

Today, I will share with you four simple yet effective ways to tackle home overwhelm and restore peace and order to our homes.

Embrace the Power of Decluttering

Clutter seems to accumulate overnight, doesn’t it? So, let’s combat it head-on with a decluttering mission. Start small, tackling one area at a time. It could be a drawer in the kitchen or a shelf in the living room. 

Starting with the easier tasks is far more productive. 

‘The idea of completing small projects with boundaries is that you’re setting yourself up for a win, which will motivate you to keep working on smaller chunks until eventually your entire space is organized!’ says Lucy Milligan Wahl, owner of boutique organizing company, LMW Edits. 

Sort items into three categories: keep, donate, and toss. 

Be honest with yourself about what truly serves a purpose in your life, and let go of the rest. Remember, a clutter-free home fosters a clutter-free mind.

Making decisions and knowing your priorities will greatly help in getting your home in order. 

For me, I had to declutter all the fantasy selves I had collected things for and figure out who I was and who I wanted to be.

When we dial back and understand what is essential in our life, it’s like a night and day difference in how easy it is to take care of our home.

And trust me, you’ll feel a sense of relief as you make way for a clutter-free environment.

Create Daily Cleaning Routines

Every single one of us juggles numerous responsibilities, leaving little time for extensive cleaning marathons. This means it is easy to let cleaning tasks pile up until they become unmanageable. 

That is why implementing daily cleaning routines can make a world of difference. 

So, set aside a few minutes each morning and evening for quick cleanups. Involve the kids in age-appropriate tasks. You may ask your eldest child to do the dishes or the youngest to sweep the floor, making it a family effort. You can find the charts I created here; this can also help divide the tasks for everyone. 

This way, you are teaching your children to be responsible while inculcating the value of managing the home properly. 

Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to other family members. Share the responsibilities and teach your kids valuable life skills in the process.

Even if they don’t do it to the standard you’d like, they will get better at it as they grow.

It’s a great time to share life experiences with them while you do the chores after dinner or chat with them about how their day went.

Building connections with all the family members is one key step to overcoming the overwhelming feeling of getting your home in order. 

By staying on top of daily cleaning, you’ll prevent messes from snowballing and create a more organized environment.

Small actions matter. 

Consistency is the key, and with time, you’ll notice a cleaner and more organized home. 

Establish Designated Homes for Everything

Ever find yourself frantically searching for your keys or your child’s favorite toy?

Trying to remember where you put your wallet last night, or why is your favorite book missing from your desk?

Far too much of our lives have been spent LOOKING for things!

So what can you do? 

Assign a designated home for each item in your house.

Examples:

• Place a key bowl or hooks near the entrance.
• Organize your kitchen based on your working style.
• Designate toy bins for different types of toys.
• Organize your pantry by category.

Having designated homes for everything not only keeps your space tidy but also saves you time and sanity when searching for items.

This may seem tedious at first, but believe me, this will definitely help you in the future.

Shift your focus

It’s easy to feel like the victim – it may be that our parents were hoarders and we have a skewed view of our stuff, or that we grew up very poor and never had enough, so now we’re collecting stuff so we never feel that way again, or maybe we were neglected so formed attachments to things, or maybe we have a physical condition that makes it difficult to do the daily household tasks or we’re taking care of parents and raising 5 kids so have no time to spare. It may not even be our fault – perhaps our spouse has issues and refuses to let us declutter, or everyone we lives with doesn’t take responsibility for any of the stuff or any of the mess.

These are all valid things, hard things.

But focusing on how we’ve been wronged doesn’t help us.

I used to get so caught up in what my husband and kids weren’t doing, that I couldn’t even see anything else.

My whole day was spent in a pity party – things would be completely different if I was single and didn’t have children.

Though that is true, it doesn’t change the current situation.

I had to shift from being mad about the state and blaming others, to taking care of the home for myself.

I needed to wash the dishes for me. It made me feel better to see the dishes were done. It made me feel better to not have a couch full of laundry. It made me feel better to have a counter that was clean and clear.

I’m not saying the people in your home aren’t responsible for the same things, but what I’m saying is that we can only change ourselves.

If we want a clean home, we have to do it for ourselves.

It’s important to talk to them, and if you have children, it’s important to teach them to take responsibility and clean up after themselves, but we’re the ones that are going to have to take the first step and lead by example.

Shift from “I have to” to “I get to”

I hated all housework – dishes, laundry, dusting, sweeping – I would do it begrudgingly and mutter “I HATE DOING DISHES.”

Just FYI, focusing on how much you hate something never brings you joy.

You know all those people who enjoy cleaning their house?

They don’t think about how they hate it – they think about how they enjoy it.

Shifting our mindset isn’t always easy – I don’t LOVE doing laundry these days.

But choosing to do it and thinking about how much I enjoy having a tidy home helps me not to hate all the tasks.

Give yourself some recognition

Once you’ve achieved something, give yourself a pat on the back and note that buzz of satisfaction. Celebrating small wins will keep you motivated.

Remember that achieving an organized home is an ongoing journey, not an instant fix. Be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, and learn from any setbacks. You’ll gradually find your home becoming a more peaceful and harmonious space for you and your family.

Let’s remind ourselves that creating a perfectly tidy home is not the ultimate goal. Instead, our aim is to build a nurturing and harmonious environment where our families can thrive. Progress might be slow, and there will be days when the mess seems never-ending, but we are strong and capable.

You can do this.

Check out this post to know exactly where to start and what to focus on.